Adjustable mount for outboard motors



March 17, 1953 i F. A. POULIN 2,631,799

ADJUSTABLE MOUNT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed July 1, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Francis A. Paul/n INVENTOR.

BY (Fwy EH 5 March 17, 1953 F. A. POULIN 7 2,631,799

ADJUSTABLE MOUNT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed July 1, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fig.5;

Francis A. Poul/n INVENTOR.

M ma;

Patented Mar. 17, 1953 ADJUSTABLE MOUNTFOR ctr-scam) -MOTOR'S Franc-is A. Pouliii, Waterville, Maine Appii'c'ation July 1, 1949, Serial "No. 102,691

(01. lz i'zil) 3 Claims.

This invention appitaiiis the mounting means for mounting outboard motors .on boats and constitutes an improvement on Etc-pending applicationserial No. 787,292, filed November 21, 1947, now abandoned.

'Ehe'lprimary object of this invention is to maintain the propeller of an outboard motor at the proper water depth for obtaining maximum efficiency and operation.

Another I-important object of this invention is to project the propeller vertically without disturbing the drive connection from the power unit andwi-thout affecting the pdsi-tion of the propeller "laterally of the boat.

Another object of this invent-ion is to incorporate an improved adjustable mounting means in an outboard motor construction, whereby the motor unit, including the propeller, may be raised or elevated during operation, so that the motor may be safely employed to propel the boat in shallow water, without danger of striking the propeller against obstructions on the bottom or water bed. 7

These and ancillary objects and structural features of merit are attained by this invention, a preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an outboard motor, which is shown mounted to a boat by means of one embodiment of this invention,

the propeller being illustrated in a lowered position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view in detail of the means provided for raising the motor unit, including the propeller, and for retaining the same in a raised position;

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the means provided for locking the motor unit in the desired position;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, similar to Figure 1, but illustrating the motor unit in a raised position, with respect to the boat and water;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5, of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on line 66 of Figure 5.

In the drawings, a conventional boat I!) is illustrated, the boat being formed and constructed in any conventional manner and including a conventional boat transom 12. A conventional outboard motor I4 is adapted for attachment to the boat transom, the motor unit including a motor l6, operating handle l8 being secured thereto, a k

housing 18 extends dtwnwar unit and supports '2, h fisihgZU for a propeller The .motor unitfis secured on the transom by meahsofa clamp'fland mckingjrnemp sociated therewith. A housing '28 is for :tegrally with the clamp 24 andproje'c'ts foutw d- 1y therefrom. The housing 28 terminates a vertically disposed sleeve 30 withi 'Whi'ch i" "slidably disposed-a circular hollow rack bar 32. A drive shaft '34 'eiithds' ownwardly from the "foter 16 and is operatively connected, in a cbn'veritional manner, to the "propellers'h'aft, so that thepropell'er is rotated by the motor through the drive shaft The ens motor 14 i ra sed @nd 'lowered by means of the are-mar 'i'ack bar 32, the same b'eiifg "seizures on the ntusiiig "20 for the propeller 22 and to the underside of the motor housing.

Means is provided for raising and lowering the rack bar and preferably includes a crank 36, having a gear 38 secured on one end thereof and disposed in intermeshing relation with the rack bar 32. The crank is rotatably disposed in a bearing sleeve 40, the latter being horizontally mounted on the housing 28 and bracket 24.

Means is provided for retaining the rack bar in adjusted positions and includes a pawl or dog 42, which is carried by a rod 44, the latter being secured as at 46 to one end of the pawl. The opposing end of the pawl is arcuately configured as at- 48, the lower edge 50 of the arcuate end being beveled, while-the upper end 52 is formed with a straight edge. The rod 44 is slidably disposed through plate 54 which is transversely disposed on the bracket24. A stop plate 56 is secured on the rod by securing means 58, such as a cotter pin or the like, and a spring 60 is concentrically disposed about the rod and positioned between the plates 54 and 56, so that the pawl 42 is constantly urged into locking engagement of the rack bar 32.

Recapitulating, it is to be noted that the motor unit is constructed with the circular rack bar 32, concentrically disposed about the drive shaft 34 and spaced therefrom by bearings, not shown. The motor unit is then mounted on the boat transom by means of the clamp 24, which is detachably positioned on the upper edge of the transom and retained thereon by means of the locking screws 29. The housing 28 is formed integrally with the bracket or clamp 24 and is provided with a cut-out portion to accommodate the gear 38 which intermeshes with the rack bar 32.

In operation, the motor unit is raised by rotating the crank 36, the rack bar being raised correspondingly thereto, with the rack bar moving over the beveled lower edge 50 of the pawl. However, the straight upper edge 52 prevents downward movement of the rack bar, unless the rod 44 is pulled rearwardly against the urge of the spring to disengage the pawl from the teeth of thebar.

It can be appreciated that the circular rack bar will enable the motor unit to be oscillated by the handle l8 to guide the boat, at the same time the boat is propelled by the propeller 22. and yet enable the gear 38 and locking pawl 42 to remain in engagement of the teeth of the bar.

Thus, it can be seen that there is provided a convenient, inexpensive and durable adjustable mounting means for a conventional motor unit, whereby the same may be easily raised and lowered, corresponding to th depth of the water;'. Of course, since Various change may be carried out, with respect to the mountingmeans and since other embodiments may be practiced, limitation is sought only in accordance with the Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A motor mount for an outboard motor of the type having a propeller housing, said mount justable and laterally swingable relative to said sleeve by vertical sliding and rotation of said rack respectively, a horizontal sleeve fixed on said clamp, a shaft rotatably extended through said horizontal sleeve and having a manipulating crank on one end thereof and a gear pinion on its other end engaging said rack through said opening to vertically adjust said rack, said rack being rotatable relative to said pinion.

2. A motor mount according to claim 1 including a rod slidably mounted on said clamp and provided on one end with an arcuate pawl, said rod being spring loaded for engaging said pawl with said rack in straddling relation thereto.

3. A motor mount according to claim 1 wherein said pawl is provided with a bevelled bottom edge providing for ratcheting of said rack upwardly relative to said pawl.

" FRANCIS A. POULIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are 101 record in the file of this patent: 1

UNITED STATES-PATENTS Number Name Date 130,110 Dodge Aug. 6, 1872 897,843 1. McCombe Sept; 1, 1908 1,389,712 Thompson et a1. Sept. 6, 1921 1,945,210 Ward Jan. 30,1934

7 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 334,329 Great Britain Apr. 3, 1930 

